I believe the question is if Ferrari and when Ferrari will let Leclerc do his thing, win races, not move over. It's not up to the driver @ Ferrari; no matter how good he is. As of now if Ferrari has their two guys finishing 1,2 fans know before the flag who will be #1. A new driver enters knowing this.

I think Ferrari will keep kimi for 2019, and give Leclerc a chance to race for haas team replacing Grosjean. After his performances then he will move to Ferrari along side vettel. This might be the plan. But he’s definetly on ferrari interests.

This is also a possibility for 2019. GRO looks to be on his way out for 2018 into 2019 if he keeps damaging cars given his experience.

I dont think Sauber would lose Leclerc to Haas, it looks like Marchionne sees Alfa as the bigger picture so would want to keep him there, if Leclerc takes over for kimi as now bizarre rumors say kimi wants to leave to be with his family, A.Gio would def take his seat at sauber.... but we need our simulator master :( , when kvyat does simulator it bombs :( didnt he do Spain and now France co-simulator both setups made the car terrible compared to mercs

hockenheim 2018 / China 2018 : Never forget how quick Ferrari can lose it all, be humble.
Positivity doesn't win you championships, whining about people being negative makes you blind!
lol ignore the bitter old cows ;-)

I will reserve my final opinion on this matter depending on how the summer races go and if Ferrari still have a chance of winning the WCC after the Spa race. Spa is Kimi's best circuit so a will make final judgment that week following the race. For the time beeing I voted "maybe yes" in the poll.

This reminds me of 2009 when everyone was criticism Kimi for lack of motivation and other nonsense and wanted to use Fisichella as example to showcase how slow Kimi is. Fisi proceeded to finish 15th in the last 5 races with us

Let Lecrec grow a little more, he is our guy but there is no need to rush him. He needs more experience.

No more 3rd place for Max, now he's doing 2nd! The results speak for themselves, Kimi again on the podium!!! Get rid of Kimi he's done! Max is the crash king! Tell that to the late Dan! Seb does another mistake as #1 driver. It's not his fault! Kimi should have been there to help. Kimi is keeping Ferrari in the WCC race. Max needs to start alongside Lewis! Keep sleeping Kimi , Ferrari needs the points!

Ricciardo has been playing the waiting game this season as he assessed whether an opportunity would arise with either Mercedes or Ferrari for the 2019 season.

But, Mercedes are set to stick with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas as their driver line-up for another season, whilst Ferrari are only thought to be considering Charles Leclerc as a potential replacement for Kimi Raikkonen.

McLaren are the only other team to have been linked with the Aussie, but he is now very likely to stay put with Red Bull and continue to drive alongside Max Verstappen.

Ricciardo held more talks with Red Bull ahead of a promotional event in Austria and said to the press: “It’s not over yet but it will come. Soon. The time is not far away.”

Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko also said that a new contract agreement with Ricciardo is “getting closer” and told Motorsport.com that Ricciardo’s options, in the end, were limited.

“Mercedes and Ferrari have a number one driver who is clearly declared,” said Marko.

“I know Ricciardo did not receive an offer from Ferrari.

“Renault will, as far as I know, stay with the current drivers. Above all, I don’t think Renault is playing in the budget regions that Ricciardo has in mind.

“Daniel is in a situation where he has no sporting alternative to us. He probably imagined it differently.

“We want it [to continue with Ricciardo], but not at any price.”

Looks like Ricciardo's gamble backfired and now he is forced to stay with RBR, with a smaller salary than if he resigned at the right time.

The 20-year-old has agreed, but not signed, a two-year deal to be Sebastian Vettel's team-mate until 2020, according to a source close to Ferrari.

The move comes after an impressive start to Leclerc's F1 career this year with Sauber, including points finishes in four of the last five races.

If the deal is confirmed, it would mean the end of 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen's five-year stay at Ferrari.

The team said it declined to comment on what it described as "media speculation".

Leclerc, who comes from Monaco and is a member of the Ferrari driver academy, is the reigning Formula Two champion and was given his Sauber seat this year with the intention of blooding him for a future at Ferrari.

Hamilton heads Mercedes one-two in practice
The plan was to promote Leclerc after one season as long as he delivered on his obvious potential, and he has done exactly that.

After a shaky start to the season with mistakes in the first three races, Leclerc took a step forward at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April, where he took the unfancied Sauber to sixth place.

Since then, he has finished 10th at the Spanish, Canadian and French Grands Prix, and demonstrated impressive race-craft, including holding off two-time champion Fernando Alonso's McLaren for half the race in Barcelona.

Leclerc - the godson of former F1 driver Jules Bianchi, who died in 2015 from injuries sustained in the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix - told BBC Sport at last month's Monaco Grand Prix: "It is a dream since [I was] a child to drive for the red cars so hopefully this will happen one day.

"I will give everything for it to happen next year but the decision is not in my hands and the only thing I can do is give the best of myself on track and then hopefully it will be enough to consider me for the seat next year."

Assuming the Leclerc deal is finalised, Raikkonen's career is in danger of being over.

There have been reports this week linking the 38-year-old Finn with a move to McLaren, but their priority is to keep Fernando Alonso as their lead driver.

The Spaniard won Le Mans this year and is two-thirds of the way towards completing his ambition of winning motorsport's unofficial 'triple crown' of the Monaco Grand Prix, which Alonso has won twice, Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500.

Alonso is weighing up between two main options: staying in F1 with McLaren but taking part in the Indy 500; or moving full time to Indycars in 2019.

On Thursday, the two-time champion said: "To win the Indy 500 you have only one chance each year. Even if you do the whole championship, you have only one race and 200 laps to do it."

If Alonso chooses to leave F1, McLaren's second option is Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, although the Australian is tipped to stay where he is.

Max is a pillock. He is way, way too fond of Max. I think LEC has a degree of humility (wrong word, I know..) because he is a new boy and accepts he has much to learn.. unlike Max who knows it all.

Max knows maybe not "It All" , but he knows 2nd place and the podium seems his home away from home. Just ask Dan ! Should Max show a little humility and let Dan pass? Max fights his way to the podium, while Kimi sleeps his way there! Either way; the points count big time.

Max knows maybe not "It All" , but he knows 2nd place and the podium seems his home away from home. Just ask Dan ! Should Max show a little humility and let Dan pass? Max fights his way to the podium, while Kimi sleeps his way there! Either way; the points count big time.

Kimi always fights his way and does great IMO. I learned the sleep mode , from the fans here. No matter how great Kimi drives, it should have been Shumy Jr. on the podium not Kimi. He's too old , Ferrari needs to get rid of Kimi, on and on! I'm in shock Ferrari didn't make him let Schumy Jr. pass. Max is driving great , 1st place! Fans here... ya but what if? Give the boy his due praise, he won! WCC is coming Ferrari's way, all is well. This was Max's 4th win without starting on pole! Kimi's 5th podium!!

I like Charles, Ferrari actually have something promising for the future in their backyard, for a change. Hasn't though everybody beaten Ericsson? We need to see Charles against someone stronger(Magnussen at Haas), not to throw him under the bus against the top dogs. Lets not forget he is just a rookie and has a lot to learn before jumping to Ferrari. Many people compare him to Max, but I dont want him to be that reckless and throw away points like its his job. Let us not make the same mistake RBR did with Verstappen and give him a proper upbringing. At Sauber there is no pressure, no media, no expectations to get an immediate result. At Ferrari if you do good then you're a hero, next week if you do bad you're a zero.

I like Charles, Ferrari actually have something promising for the future in their backyard, for a change. Hasn't though everybody beaten Ericsson? We need to see Charles against someone stronger(Magnussen at Haas), not to throw him under the bus against the top dogs. Lets not forget he is just a rookie and has a lot to learn before jumping to Ferrari. Many people compare him to Max, but I dont want him to be that reckless and throw away points like its his job. Let us not make the same mistake RBR did with Verstappen and give him a proper upbringing. At Sauber there is no pressure, no media, no expectations to get an immediate result. At Ferrari if you do good then you're a hero, next week if you do bad you're a zero.

100%... I think Leclerc should get a seat at haas n see him against K-Mag. That would give proper indication before driving for big team.
Kimi will stay for 2019 & Leclerc will join at haas next year & Ferrari in 2020 replacing kimi. This is my view.

[QUOTE=I. Many people compare him to Max, but I dont want him to be that reckless and throw away points like its his job. Let us not make the same mistake RBR did with Verstappen and give him a proper upbringing. At Sauber there is no pressure, no media, no expectations to get an immediate result. At Ferrari if you do good then you're a hero, next week if you do bad you're a zero.[/QUOTE]

Max just needs to win a race rather than 2nd, 3rd, to show proper upbringing. These podiums and win are really taking there toll on RB. BTW where's non reckless Dan? He's praying RB will resign him even at 1/2 price. Max is the only driver in F Pirelli that doesn't need pole to be top 3 finisher, imagine if he had a more proper upbringing!!

100%... I think Leclerc should get a seat at haas n see him against K-Mag. That would give proper indication before driving for big team.
Kimi will stay for 2019 & Leclerc will join at haas next year & Ferrari in 2020 replacing kimi. This is my view.

remember seeing Turini saying leclerc is going to be coming next year to ferrari, the only reason i think ferrari will rush to bring him is if Kimi decided to retire at the end of the year. Maybe he wants to be more husband/father than driver now?

tbh i Prefer Leclerc over any of the alternatives, even if he is a rookie i can see him having a more level head than those that might just be in it for themselves alone

hockenheim 2018 / China 2018 : Never forget how quick Ferrari can lose it all, be humble.
Positivity doesn't win you championships, whining about people being negative makes you blind!
lol ignore the bitter old cows ;-)